Kay

I just returned from a two week visit to Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, Quedlinburg, and Prague. Probably everything has already been said about Prague on this forum, and everything wonderful said about it is true, and then some. But there's not been much on eastern Germany. I'd be happy to share expriences and opinions. And Quedlinburg, BTW, is like Rothenburg, before the total restoration and commercialization. <BR>

Phoebe

Hi. I'm planning on visiting Berlin later in October. Did you have any expericences staying in the former East Berlin section? I hear it is quite culturally alive right now. Is that an more inexpensive section to find a room in?

Evan

My wife and I are going to Prague in late October. Any sugggestions (restaurants, special places, etc.). Where did you stay? We have reservations at U Cerveneho Lva (The House At The Red Lion) right near the castle entrance. <BR>

Kristy

Kay - I would LOVE to hear about Dresden, Leipzig and Quedlinburg! You're right; information about central or eastern Europe is much harder to come by than info on Western Europe. Here are some questsions, but any information you have to share on eastern Germany would be welcome! <BR> <BR>Where exactly IS Quedlinburg?! If it's like Rothenburg, especially before the tourist invasion, it sounds fabulous! What were your favorite things to see or do in Leipzig and Dresden? Are these cities as beautiful as other (western) German cities? How did you get around? Have you been to central or eastern Europe before? What did you like about eastern Germany? What were your disappointments, if any?

Kay

My goodness, I am delighted in the interest in eastern German and of course Prague. I'll take each of the queries in turn, so here goes. <BR> <BR>Phoebe: You asked about "experiences" in eastern Berlin. I was there three days and had only great experiences. I stayed in the eastern side in an extremely lovely place whose rates go DOWN to $100 a night on the weekend (Hotel Luisenhof). There are some interesting places to stay, and cheaper, near Oranienburger Tor, which is the area that's hip right now. I'd dug up some possibilities near the Jewish cultural center and if you want those names I can find them again for you. I liked staying on the eastern side because it's closer to the things I wanted to see...historic buildings and museums. Basically you can whip around this very large city easily on the subway so in a sense it doesn't matter too much where you stay. Although I'd been told to expect Berlin to look like a large construction site, what I saw was even way beyond that. The billions, no, surely trillions of deutsch marks that are pouring into rehabilitation of the eastern side (and ALL the autobahns in former east Germany, making it hard to make good time on the road system now - understatement!) is absolutely unbelievable. Berlin isn't exactly enchanting or beautiful -- although of course it has its pretty spots -- but is amazing, alive, incredibly historic, and I absolutely loved it! The enrgy of the place is electric. <BR> <BR>One area of Berlin that is beautiful is Potsdam, a SW suburb, with the palaces of Sans Souci. That's a great place to visit. <BR> <BR>Oh yes, of all the museums in Berlin, THE one to go to is the Pergamon in east Berlin on Museum Island. It has a huge Greek temple, a Roman town gate, and the Gates of Ishtar from Babylon. GO, for sure. <BR> <BR>Evan: You've picked a great place to stay in Prague, near the castle gates. You will be right in the thick of a wonderful area. I stayed in a very modern, two-year-old Swiss-run hotel, the Mowenpick, in the suburb of Smichov. The hotel was great, the suburb ugly but near a metro stop. What the location did have was the wonderful Bertramka Mozart Museum right next door. If you are a Mozart afficionado (as I am), you need to go there. Mozart stayed there with friends in 1787 when he was writing his opera Don Giovanni, right before it got its debute performance in Prague. Bertramka has concerts most days (every day in the summer) and it is a thrill to hear Mozart played in a villa where he stayed. The grounds are beautiful also. <BR> <BR>Prague is enchanting and fun. I was there four night/three days and it was not enough. Basically, I did everything Rick Steves says to do in Prague (find that on his web site)...and more. <BR> <BR>Up the hill from where you are staying is the Strakhov Monastery, which has the most beautiful library you have ever seen. Its two rooms are so gorgeous that it's hard to believe they exist. The monastery grounds have a restaurant (the only one) whose name translates to "hell" and it's built into old tunnels. Very romantic and charming. Also, an amusing concept in a religious setting! <BR> <BR>Everyone goes to see the astronomical clock perform on the hour in old town square. That is so fun. The crowds are like at a carnival and clap after the clock performs. Right beside that is a restaurant U Orloge (the clock) that's good and very interesting, because of the unusual and extensive collection of old clocks. You can't go wrong in Prague, whatever you do. It too has an easy subway to use. Do go to the NEW town hall and admire the wonderful Art Nouveau decor and stained glass. You can eat in one of three restaurants and enjoy the ambience. <BR> <BR>Kristy: Quedlinburg is a small town located NW of Leipzig. It has 1200 medieval houses that are in various stages of repair, or desrepair! The town was designated a world treasure by UNESCO in 1993. It has a wonderful old monastery built high atop a rock outcropping with beautiful gardens and a view back down on the town. If you go, do stay at Hotel Theophano. It's right on the little town square, has charming rooms and great food. <BR> <BR>Yes, I have been to eastern/central Europe before and even visited some places (including the former USSR) under their communist regimes. So, I know how to scrape away the sight of decay and concentrate on the good stuff. It is also quite interesting now to see such large areas undergoing renovation. I plan to return to all these places (except Leipzig, more about that in a minute) in 2005, after they are all "done." I want to see the results. <BR> <BR>The only reason I went to Leipzig was to see the Bach Museum and the church where he played for 27 years. Although it has been upgraded since the end of communist rule, it has a long,long way to go. It's a huge city, the largest in eastern Germany, after Berlin, and I found it depressing. <BR> <BR>Its rival in the area of Saxomy is Dresden, and it was a delight. It is situated on the river Elbe and also is renovating all its grand buidings, most of which were fire bombed into oblivion the night of February 13, 1945, when British and American planes destroyed this city of absolutely no military importance. Nonetheless, some of it was rebuilt lovlingly, even under the communists, and the rest is being done now. There is MUCH to see. The art treasures are wonderful, and the Zwinger Palace is astonishly beautiful. <BR> <BR>You asked how I got around. In eastern Germany I drove a rental car and then took the train to Prague and back from Frankfurt. If driving in Germany, you really need to learn the road signs first. Things are very logically planned, but somewhat different from our way of doing things. And the signage is definitely different. Traffic is quite fast but very orderly, so I wasn't scared by the speed on the autobahns. <BR> <BR>I liked everything about my visit to eastern Germany except the extensive delays on the autobahns, due to upgrading. That should change in a few years, of course. It was exciting to see it all in this stage. Before the Wall went down in Berlin, I had absolutely no desire to see the city, even though I am a huge fan of spy novels. When this is all finished, I think the power of Germany in Europe will be something to contend with again...I hope only in a good way. <BR> <BR>Whew, I think I covered everything, but if I left anything out, just ask away. I love reliving my trip in this way. Basically, I could have stayed another two months! I loved it.

Evan

Thanks very much Kay for your advice. <BR>

Phoebe

Thanks Kay. I will be in Europe for 2 months, first in Warsaw and Russia. I'm going to have to find a MUCH cheaper place to stay in Berlin than you did, so I'll be looking for suggestions. I suppose there are no B&Bs around East/or outskirts of Berlin.

Kay

Phoebe, the section on Berlin in Rick Steves' guidebook that covers Germany has some good suggestions for cheaper places to stay. He has a bunch in western Berlin and I think also in eastern Berlin. Where will you stay in Russia? I've not been there since 1990 so can't you take me with you?!